Condenser tube



J. J. MORAN CONDENSER TUBE Filed Aug. 8, 1939 James J Mor Patented Apr.16, 1940 CONDENSER James J. Moran, Vineland, N. J., assignor 'to KimbleGlass Company, Vineland, N. J., a.

corporation of Illinois Application August 8, 1939, Serial No. 289,047

4 Claims.

This invention relates to glass condensers, and more particularly to thestructure of theinner tube of the condenser.

One type of condenser made from glass com- 5 prises an inner glass tubesurrounded throughout substantially its length by an outer glass tubeclosed at its ends by screw caps, the latter being perforated to permitpassage of the inner tube therethrough. The outer tube or jacket hassuit- H' able inlet and outlet nipples for connection to a source ofwater or other cooling medium. Usually both tubes are straight and, insome instances, the inner tube is formed with inwardly extendingprojections.

As gases are condensed within the inner tube, the condensed liquid flowsover the inner surface of the condenser tube forming a film thereonwhich prevents eificient interchange between the gas and the coolingmedium within the jacket.

It is one of the objects of the present invention so to form the innertube that the condensed liquid will be formed into drops which fallalong a line substantially coincident with the axis of the inner tube.

The invention will be more fully understood from the followingdescription thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation in section of a complete condenser embodying thepresent invention; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the condenser comprisesan inner glass tube 3 having an enlarged or thistle portion 4' at oneend thereof and having its lower end beveled as at 5. Surrounding thegreater portion of the inner tube and concentric therewith is an outerglass tube 6 provided at its ends with threads, as indicated at 1 and 8.The outer tube is also provided with the usual nipples 9 and I0 formingconnections to a source of water or other cooling medium.

Cooperating with the ends of the outer tube 6 are caps H and I2, each ofwhich is threaded to cooperate with the threaded portions land 8. Eachcap is provided with an opening l3 through which the tube 3 passes.Fitting snugly within each cap is a washer l4 having an aperture thediameter of which is somewhat smaller than the diameters of the tube 3and openings l3. When the caps are screwed onto the ends of tube 6, thewashers are compressed so that they fit tightly against the inner tubeand form an effective water-tight connection between the inner and outertubes. It will be seen from this construction that the inner tube may bereadily removed from the outer tube and both tubes easily cleaned.Preferably the caps and washers are of the same size so that they areinterchangeable with each 5.

other.

The inner tube is formed with a plurality of inwardly extending,substantially conical projections 15 which, as will be seen in thedrawing, are staggered, some of the projections being vertically alignedon one side of the inner tube and others being also vertically alignedbut diametrically opposite the first-mentioned projections;

Each of the projections is formed with its upper face 16 inclined insuch a way that it constitutes a steep slope in the wall of thecondenser tube. The lower side of the projection, indicated at H,

is substantially horizontal. With this arrange ment, liquid condensingon the walls of the condenser tube tends to flow toward the apexlll of20 the inward projection to form a drop which will fall from this apex.The several apices of the projections are positioned substantially inline i with the axis of the tube so that the drops formed tend to fallin a line coinciding with the axis of the tube. Hence, the condensedliquid, instead of forming a continuous film over the entire inner wallof the condenser tube, falls in the form of drops through the center ofthe tube. It will, therefore, be seen that by conducting the condensedliquid away from the walls, more 'wall surface having little or noliquid film thereon is presented to the hot gases which are more readilycooled and hence more quickly condensed.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that, as the liquidis condensed, drops thereof are formed and. these drops fall in a linespaced from the inner surface of the condenser. I Furthermore, a greatercooling surface is presented by forming the inwardly extending pro- 40jections on the inner tube. I v

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that the same may be modified withinthe definition set forth in the appended claims. For instance, insteadof employing an open end outer tube with caps, the inner and outer tubesmay be united by means of rubber connections or a'closed seal formed byfusing the ends of the outer tube to the inner tube.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. An inner tube for jacketed condensers, said inner tube havinginwardlyextending projec- 55, i

tions formed in the wall thereof, the upper side of said projectionsbeing inclined and the lower side of the projections being substantiallyhorizontal.

2. An inner tube for jacketed condensers, said inner tube havinginwardly extending, substantially conical projections formed in the wallthereof, the upper side of said projections being inclined and the lowerside of the projections being substantially horizontal.

3. An inner tube for jacketed condensers, said inner tube havinginwardly extending, substantially conical projections formed in the wallthereof, the upper side of said projections being inclined and the lowerside of the projections be ing substantially horizontal, the apices ofsaid projections being aligned longitudinally of the inner tube.

4. An inner tube for jacketed condensers, said inner tube having aplurality of inwardly extending, substantially conical projectionsformed in the wall thereof, said projections being alignedlongitudinally of the inner tube, said inner tube having anotherplurality of inwardly extending, substantially conical projectionsformed in its wall opposite to and. in staggered relation tosaidfirst-mentioned projections, the upper side of each of said projectionsbeing inclined and the lower side of the projections being substantiallyhorizontal.

JAMES J. MORAN.

